There’s still time to see the Durham Western Heritage Museum’s Engineer It! Exhibit before it ends Sept. 3. Meanwhile, there are lots of other opportunities to entertain young and old alike from Egyptian construction to reading programs to naming the museum’s newest exhibit.
UNMC, The Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC Physicians employees and their families, as well as students, will receive free admission to the following Durham Western Heritage Museum events with a valid student / employee ID.
The Time Travelers program provides free family admission for two adults and any dependant children under the age of 21. The museum, located at 801 S. 10th St., is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
Egypt’s amazing builders highlight lecture
Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza was the first built and is the only wonder to survive. For 43 centuries, it alone stood as the tallest structure in the world. How were the ancient Egyptians – using simple tools – able to build spectacular structures that have stood for more than 4,000 years?
On Tuesday, Aug. 29, author John McDonald will present “Egyptian Architecture: The Achievement of an Über Work Force” at noon in the Eppley Science Hall Amphitheater. RSVP to Jill Carson at jlcarson@unmc.edu if you plan to attend the free event.
McDonald, who has excavated in Iraq, Israel and Egypt, makes use of both hard evidence and conjecture to open a window to Egyptian construction methods of 30 and 40 centuries past. The lecture is the final in the architecture and engineering series during the Durham Western Heritage Museum’s “Engineer It!” exhibit. The lecture also will be presented at 6:30 p.m. at the Durham Western Heritage Museum in the Swanson Gallery. Reservations are required. RSVP to Christi Janssen at cjanssen@dwhm.org or (402) 444-5071.
Name the American Buffalo
He’s big, he’s brown, he’s new in town, and he needs a name. Make tracks to the Durham Western Heritage Museum to see the newest attraction, a 7 1/2-foot stuffed American buffalo. He’s taken up residence on trackside just outside the Mutual of Omaha Theater while waiting for his final exhibit to be completed, but now we need your help.
The buffalo restores a tradition that used to be part of the museum, when it had another buffalo nicknamed “Eugene.” The new buffalo doesn’t have a name, however, and museum officials want your suggestions. Come on in, give him a good look, and give us a name you think fits him. If it’s your suggestion that comes out on top, you could win a great prize package from the museum.
Museum officials will take nominations through Sunday, Sept. 24. Online voting will be available soon at www.dwhm.org.
I’ve Been Reading on the Railroad – Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to noon
Stamp your passport and climb on board for an exciting reading program. Durham Western Heritage Museum will have an exciting reading adventure the first Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon. Children and families will be entertained with a story and activity or tour to go with the theme of the story. Call the Education Department for more details at (402) 444-5027.
Engineer It! Final Weekend! — Ends Sept. 3
ENGINEER IT! is an educational and entertaining traveling exhibition developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) that presents science as an open-ended discovery process. Visitors of all ages explore the fun and creative sides of engineering by designing boats, buildings, bridges, windmills, and airplanes, and then testing their performance in water tanks, shake tables, and wind tunnels. In addition, visitors experiment with gears and pulleys, operate a cargo crane, and learn about careers in engineering through video presentations. In ENGINEER IT!, visitors engage in open-ended, multiple-outcome activities designed to present elements of the experimental process.